The Federal Government, has said that the Nigerian maritime industry would play a pivotal role in achieving $1tn economic growth by 2027.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Pius Akuta, disclosed this on Thursday during a courtesy visit at the Tincan Island Container Terminal Limited, Lagos.
President Bola Tinubu, had disclosed that the government was working to push Nigeria into a $1tn economy in three years, precisely 2027.
However, speaking during the tour, Akuta, said “Mr President and his new hope agenda for this country is looking at moving from $500bn economy to $1tn economy by the end of four years.
“And the marine and blue economy ministry is one of the pivotal ministries that would drive this economy to that extent.”
The NSC boss added that the government is looking at a private sector collaboration in rebuilding the sector.
“The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Oyetola, is already looking at developing a holistic blueprint, a new policy document that would capture all of those infrastructure deficits, infrastructure decay, and automation of the systems in the port so that at the end of the day, it would not going to be taking one issue and trying to fix it when the other problems are still persisting. But we have to look at the whole system holistically and see what can be done,” Akuta added.
Earlier, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Tincan Island Container Terminal Limited, Mr Etienne Rocher, said the rehabilitation and modernisation of Lagos Ports were critical to meeting the requirements that would ttract shipping lines and make the country competitive in West and Central Africa.